Does the AWOL story still have legs? Do these records help or hurt us?

[Catshrink]

Just wondering what the outcome will be and how this story will be perceived by those who aren't as politically aware as we DUers are.

Bob Dole said he didn't think it was a big deal (no surprise there) "after all, Clinton dodged service." And here we go again: it was the Clenis.

Someone needs to talk about Cheney's deferments. Did I hear that it was 5?

edited twice for grammar!

[Birthmark]

1. In the real world they should help...

...since they show that Bush missed a large amount of time. In bizarro world (TV news) who knows?

[Terwilliger]

2. HELP

They do help

As much as Republicans dislike Democrats, they can't ignore the difference in military service between Bush and just about anybody else.

[stepnw1f]

6. Clarification

Clinton made it very clear he was against the Vietnam War and did not want to serve. There is a big difference! Funny how they keep trying to tie Clinton into Bush's current situation. Very desperate.

I say we stay the course and drive it home!

[Mari333]

3. Help..he sent 532 kids to die, killed thousands, thousands wounded

based on pretending his was some kind of fake hero in a flight suit
Time to set the record straight..

[metisnation]

4. Not really

but the lies about WMD and 532 soldiers lives does!

[Toots]

5. Remember that old famous Republican saying

"Where there's smoke, there's fire" It has already helped our cause and it isn't over by a long shot.

[The Magistrate]

7. This Has Legs Like A Millipede, Ma'am

The records amount to gasoline on glowing embers. There are gaps in them; they contain evaluations by commanding officers who state they never saw the wretch. It piques even a lazy journalist's curiousituy that no one comes forward to state he served with the wretch, for who would not attempt to trade on such a connection, when so much could be gained by doing so? The constant usage of "recalls he was there" raises similar red flags, for that is aphrase used specifically to avoid a charge of perjury when the recollection is shown to be false.

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[mike1963]

12. Precisely, good sir. It is inconceivable to imagine that no contemporary

Air National Guardsman of Mr. Bush's supposed tenure would avail himself of such a golden opportunity to have at the very least the proverbial '15 minutes of fame'. Unclaimed rewards have been offered by those who OPPOSE the pretender; there can be no doubt that the Bush Cabal has circulated similar bait. Perhaps they have run out of whores.

[TomNickell]

8. The preliminary analyses....

seem to be that these records don't really settle anything.

If the DC press corp will get into a lather about this, it could stay very interesting.

[benburch]

9. Legs! Like a Ziegfeld Girl!

And who says they didn't manufacture them? They've had YEARS.

[Bonobo]

10. Big fuckin' monstrous legs!

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

11. does it have legs?

It's been running all over the mainstream media since they asked Clark to denounce Moore!

[Jacobin]

13. I think some of the reporters have found their cajones

and are starting to feel like real reporters and they probably feel good about it.

Since Kerry has not come out in favor of media break ups and the media's nemesis (Dean who was in favor of busting them up) is no longer viable, I think its okay with the media to dump Smirk. Plus the drama won't hurt ratings. Kerry is stuck with IraqNam and probably won't do anything different there than SmirkCo.

They love to build up characters and tear them down.

[Dr Fate]

14. Everyone knows Mike Moore brought this up...

...bless him for that!

I dont see how DEMS can be hurt by this, so long as they do not overplay their hand-

Besides, blaming this on DEMS only brings up the whole embarassing story for one more news cycle- Rove would rather let it die...

[ThoughtCriminal]

15. He showed up 9 times in one year?

No wonder nobody remembers him.

[Beetwasher]

16. Holy Crap! I'm Watching the Press Conference!

Good lord this DOES have legs...Wow! This is amazing...

[Catshrink]

17. The reporters are not letting it go...

they aren't letting Snotty get away with obfuscation. Kewl!

[UTUSN]

18. It Would Help if the Calpundit/Teaser "DISCIPLINARY UNIT" Info Got Out

*********QUOTE******
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=353729

You know the mysterious torn document? It's torn no longer. And it ain't a Texas Air National Guard document:


http://www.calpundit.com/archives/003220.html

As it turns out, though, we have traded one mystery for another. It's now clear that the document is genuine, but what exactly does it tell us? In particular:


The first listed date is October 29, not November 29 as we had theorized before. But George Bush was still in Alabama in October. What exactly was he getting attendance credit for?


This is neither a Texas Air National Guard document nor an Alabama document. What is it?


The answer, as you can see from the top line, is that it is an ARF document, as is this record from 1973

...


ARF is a "paper unit" based in Denver that requires no drills and no attendance. For active guard members it is disciplinary because ARF members can theoretically be called up for active duty in the regular military, although this obviously never happened to George Bush.

To make a long story short, Bush apparently blew off drills beginning in May 1972, failed to show up for his physical, and was then grounded and transferred to ARF as a disciplinary measure.

************UNQUOTE********

[BillZBubb]

19. Yes it has legs, and yes it really helps

The most important thing is to keep driving the issue. Until Shrub can provide clear proof, he is on the defensive. As long as the Repukes are on the defensive we are winning--that's Politics 101.

And this thing is like an amoeba, it sends out little offshoots in all directions. Why did Bush miss his physical? Why did he get preferential treatment at every turn? How come nobody remembers him showing up?

Every time Bush*Co comes up with a response, we need to reframe the debate--using the same kind of tactic they have used in redefining the reasons for the Iraq invasion. Keep them off guard and on the defensive.

[Catshrink]

20. And when they throw up Clinton's "draft-dodging" talk about Cheney's!

Cheney had something like 5 deferments during VN.

[GumboYaYa]

21. We need to start asking what else he is hiding.

If there is nothing to hide why not release all the records. Focus on the cover-up now. You know the old adage....it is old because it is so frequently true. For God knows whatever reason, Bush can not release all of his records. They will be going to great lengths to crawfish away from his promise to do so. Guilt by implication worked with Clinton, why not GW?